Byron firefighter Sean Houlahan faces court after lying about dangerous dog Thor’s death

A firefighter lied to authorities by telling them his German Shepherd named Thor died to avoid registering the dog. Now, he's faced a northern NSW court.

Sean Peter Houlahan pleaded guilty at Byron Bay court to wilfully & corruptly make and subscribe false declaration on January 30, 2023.

A Byron Bay firefighter lied to authorities by telling them his German Shepherd died from a tick bite to avoid registering the dangerous dog following a vicious attack, a court heard.

Sean Peter Houlahan, 40, pleaded guilty at Byron Bay court on Monday to wilfully and corruptly making a false declaration.

The court heard Houlahan received four infringement notices from Byron Shire Council for not registering his black and tan dog named Thor after it attacked another dog in March last year.

The council gave Houlahan a warning along with a Companion Animal Registration form, after he continuously refused to register Thor, police documents state.

Houlahan told the council he “lost Thor last week to a tick”.

He signed a statutory declaration form at Byron Bay Police Station confirming Thor died, which was sent to the council on September 26, 2022, police facts state.

Sean Peter Houlahan pleaded guilty at Byron Bay court to wilfully & corruptly make and subscribe false declaration on January 30, 2023.

The next month, Houlahan was busted when a community enforcement officer saw Thor alive and well in his Mazda ute at Mullumbimby.

“So he’s not dead,” the officer said.

Houlahan confirmed that Thor was indeed alive and he admitted to submitting the false statutory declaration form, according to police documents.

“The thing is I just don‘t want anymore dramas with it,” he said.

Houlahan was arrested and taken to the police station.

He was apologetic and unaware of the consequences associated with falsifying a statutory declaration, police documents state.

German Shepard. Picture: File

“I‘ve made a ton of silly mistakes this year,” Houlahan said.

“I was stressed and not in a mentally well state … I just wanted the council off my back and I know it’s not right but I wanted it to be put to bed.”

The court heard Houlahan worked in the Fire and Rescue NSW Emergency Services Academy and had some history on his criminal record. Magistrate Karen Stafford said Houlahan had 18 counts of fraud from 2011.

She said Houlahan put a great deal back into the community by being in the fire brigade, but she said his “deception” was “directed at the court system”.

“These offences strike the heart of the court system,” she said.

Ms Stafford convicted and sentenced Houlahan to serve a nine month intensive community corrections order with supervision.

He was also ordered to undergo mental health treatment and complete 90 hours of community service work.

The fate of the dog Thor remains unclear.

Originally published as Byron firefighter Sean Houlahan faces court after lying about dangerous dog Thor’s death